Be like Chris: Experience the Joyful Christmas in Thailand Countdown in Buriram

“Dwelling on the past only blinds you to the future. Missing home is natural, but embrace the present and create a new place that feels just as comforting.”

Embracing the Festive Spirit Away from Home

Where I come from, December is a special month. The nights become incredibly long as the days are covered more and more in darkness, and the weather becomes increasingly worse. The roads grow more treacherous to drive on as the threat of ice and snow slowly creeps into our lives. This foreboding is offset by Christmas’s imminent arrival, making December a special month.

In Ireland, as I am sure is the case around the world, the airports become busier and busier as the month progresses, with people flying in from all corners of the world to spend time with friends and family. The warm embrace of a friend, neighbour, or family member not seen in some time provides a comfort blanket against the freezing temperatures enveloping much of Western Europe at this time of year. As a country of emigration, my little part of the world is particularly affected by all of this.

Building a New Home in Buriram, Thailand

But I have created another little part of the world for myself. Though located in Thailand, it is filled with many others like me who come from all over the world and may feel that pull from home during this month. We have created another home for ourselves here in Buriram, Northeastern Thailand. We are happy to share our stories and traditions from Ireland, South Africa, the USA, and other places during this festive season.

Our offices are decorated with Christmas trees, festive music plays over the school tannoys in the mornings, and there’s a general feeling of sincere togetherness and optimism. Yes, things have become incredibly busy here at Buriram Pitthayakhom (BP) School, and I’m sure it’s also the case throughout all BFITS partner schools right now.

December Brings Busy Schedules

November was relatively quiet in terms of extra-curricular activities. But this month, various school trips are taking place as different BP BFITS programs – the IP (International Program) and EP (English Program), of which I am a part – embark on educational camps throughout Thailand. I’ll write about my own camp experience in a future blog.

As Christmas in Thailand and the New Year are fast approaching, there will definitely be school activities and some staff parties towards the end of the month. These special events are essential for fostering camaraderie and maintaining good relationships between co-workers.

Juggling Classroom Responsibilities

Things have also become exceptionally busy inside the classroom. Teachers are working hard to complete the requisite work in time or before the next batch of mid-term exams. Extra activities usually result in missed classes and the days off towards the end of 2024 and early 2025, which adds pressure to stay on track and in the loop work-wise.

To that end, my own Math classes have become super-charged as we do classwork, tests, projects, and LEARN as much as possible before the festivities hit and the reality of mid-term exams (just like Term 1) dawns on the student population.

I see similar scenes with other teachers, such as Teacher Matt, who is our BFITS Academic Manager and is currently in Buriram to assist in learning Science, as well as Teachers Ronan, Jacqui, Charles, and Michael, as we juggle all of this semester’s responsibilities. I have always thought being busy is better than being idle, a maxim I am happy to live by. By all accounts, my own colleagues here feel the same. 

Project-Based Learning in Maths

My M2 Math class has been tasked to design and construct a 3D city. It will be a collective class undertaking, and each student will be an important cog in the process. It is designed to test their ability to work as part of a team, to listen to each other’s ideas and concerns with aspects of the work, and ultimately build confidence in themselves and each other. I want them to be proud of what they produce, and I have appointed Project Manager and Chief Civil Engineer roles to some of my more assertive students to lead the way.

Of course, this project also demonstrates the real-world application of Maths. My background in Civil Engineering inspired this task, and I hope the students feel proud of what they produce.

Engaging Hands-On Learning in Science

Meanwhile, in Science class, Teacher Matt engages the students in various hands-on activities, all of which, from my vantage point, get the students thinking outside the box while giving them a fuller understanding of different topics.

The more our students DO, the more our students LEARN, which seems to be a topical theme running through our work here during Term 2, and this has helped to breed new life into all of our classes.

Just last week, some of our students learned about the structure and chemical components of the Earth and then built a cross-section model to visualize the layers better. The week before, they designed and built pinball machines, which I was invited to try out and enjoyed very much. 

Learning from Colleagues and Building Community

I have been trying to adopt a bit more project-led in my teaching approach this year as I do believe it helps to engage the students more. While it’s not always possible, it plays an important role both inside and outside the classroom. I’m continually inspired by our tight-knit group of teachers here in Buriram.

One of the advantages of living and working in Thailand, especially in Buriram, is that we, teachers, run into each other semi-regularly and get to know each other quite well. I’m also talking about teachers in other BFITS partner schools. While this might not suit everyone, it can still be a great thing to discuss teaching processes and classroom management tips, all while catching up on news from back home, etc. 

Celebrating Togetherness in Thailand

At the beginning of this piece, I included a quote about embracing the present. That sentiment rings true, especially during this time of year.

Last month was my birthday, and I got a reminder on that day of how comforting my present life is. I was surprised (well, not really that surprised as my colleagues are also my friends and a great bunch) to receive a cake and an enthusiastic rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ in our office during a break in class. 

A Heartfelt Thank You

I sincerely thank my colleagues and students for their thoughtfulness in this. The past can be nostalgic for us all, but I hope you all enjoy your present this year. Happy Christmas to one and all.

Teacher Chris
BFITS Program Math Teacher @Buriram Pitthayakhom (BP) School
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-whearty-02636950/